[Federal Register: June 25, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 122)]
[Notices]
[Page 35662-35663]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25jn04-107]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of the Draft Comprehensive Conservation
Plan and Environmental Assessment for Kern and Pixley National Wildlife
Refuges
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces that a
Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment
(Draft CCP/EA) for Kern and Pixley National Wildlife Refuges (Refuges)
is available for review and comment. This Draft CCP/EA, prepared
pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, as
amended, and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, describes
the Service's proposal for managing the Refuges for the next 15 years.
The draft compatibility determinations for several public uses are also
available for review with the Draft CCP/EA.
DATES: Written comments must be received at the address below by July
30, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the Draft CCP/EA should be addressed to: David
Hardt, Project Leader, Kern and Pixley National Wildlife Refuges, P.O.
Box 670, Delano, California 93216. Comments may also be submitted at
the public meetings or via electronic mail to
FW1PlanningComments@fws.gov. Please type ``Kern CCP'' in the subject
line.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: David Hardt, Project Leader, Kern and
Pixley National Wildlife Refuges, P.O. Box 670, Delano, CA 93216,
phone: (661) 725-2767 or Mark Pelz, Planning Team Leader, CA/NV Refuge
Planning Office, 2800 Cottage Way, W-1916, Sacramento, CA, 95825, phone
(916) 414-6504.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of the Draft CCP/EA may be obtained
by writing to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Attn: Mark Pelz, CA/
NV Refuge Planning Office, 2800 Cottage Way, W-1916, Sacramento, CA
95825. Copies of the Draft CCP/EA may be viewed at this address or at
Kern National Wildlife Refuge, 10811 Corcoran Road, Delano, California
93215. The Draft CCP/EA will also be available for viewing and
downloading online at http://pacific.fws.gov/planning. Printed
documents will also be available for review at the following libraries:
Beale Memorial Library, 701 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, California,
and the Kern County Library, Delano Branch, 925 10th Avenue, Delano,
California.
Background
Kern National Wildlife Refuge is located in the southern portion of
California's San Joaquin Valley, in Kern County. It was established in
1960 to provide wintering habitat for waterfowl in the southern San
Joaquin Valley. Kern Refuge consists of a single, 10,618-acre unit
owned by the Service. Kern Refuge's seasonal wetlands are an important
wintering area for Pacific Flyway waterfowl and other waterbirds, and a
popular destination for southern California hunters. The Refuge's
grassland, alkali scrub, and riparian communities support four
endangered species and several other special status species.
Pixley National Wildlife Refuge is located northeast of Kern Refuge
in Tulare County. Pixley Refuge was set aside in 1959 to provide
wintering habitat for waterfowl. Later, it was expanded to protect the
habitat for the endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard and Tipton
kangaroo rat. The Pixley Refuge acquisition boundary contains about
10,300 acres, of which about 62 percent is owned by the Federal
government. Pixley Refuge protects mostly grassland and smaller amounts
of alkali playa, saltbush scrub, vernal pools, and riparian habitat.
Pixley Refuge also has 756 acres of moist soil wetlands that are
managed for wintering waterfowl and sandhill cranes.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of the CCP is to provide a coherent, integrated set of
management actions to help attain the Refuges' establishing purposes,
and vision, goals, and objectives. The CCP identifies the Refuges' role
in support of the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System,
describes the Service's management actions, and provides a basis for
the Refuges' budget requests.
Alternatives
The Draft CCP/EA identifies and evaluates four alternatives for
managing Kern and Pixley Refuges for the next 15 years. The proposed
action is to implement Alternative C as described in the EA.
Alternative C best achieves Kern and Pixley Refuges' purposes, vision,
and goals; contributes to the Refuge System mission; addresses the
significant issues and relevant mandates; and is consistent with
principles of sound fish and wildlife management.
Under Alternative A: No Action, the Kern and Pixley Refuges would
continue to be managed as they have in the recent past. In general,
management of the Refuges would be guided by Master Plans completed in
1986. Existing habitat management practices would continue and no new
habitat restoration projects would occur. The existing hunting,
wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, and
interpretation programs would remain unchanged.
Under Alternative B, improvements at Kern Refuge would focus on
improving habitat for migratory waterfowl and increasing waterfowl
hunting opportunities. Under this alternative, the Service would
rehabilitate 1,150
[[Page 35663]]
acres of seasonal marsh and restore seven acres of riparian vegetation.
In addition, the Service would open an additional 187 acres to free-
roam hunting, 1,330 acres to hunting from 18 new designated blinds, and
open the Refuge to hunting on Sundays (in addition to Wednesday and
Saturday). Alternative B would also expand Kern Refuge's environmental
education and interpretation programs and an outdoor recreation planner
would be hired. Changes at Pixley Refuge under Alternative B would
focus on improving and expanding the Refuge's existing threatened and
endangered species management and environmental education and
interpretation programs. The Service would pursue acquisition of the
remaining natural lands within the Refuge's approved acquisition
boundary and expand surveying and monitoring for special status
species. The Service would also expand aerial surveys for waterfowl and
restore five acres of riparian vegetation.
Under Alternative C (the proposed action), the management focus for
Kern Refuge would change to providing wintering habitat for a variety
of migratory birds and contributing to the recovery of targeted special
status species. Under this alternative, the Service would rehabilitate
1,330 acres of seasonal marsh; expand aerial surveys of waterfowl and
ground surveys of shorebirds, waterbirds, raptors, and special status
species; strengthen levees to protect upland units from flooding;
eradicate 90 percent of the salt cedar on the Refuge within 10 years;
restore 440 acres of saltbush scrub; restore 15 acres of riparian
vegetation; prepare a comprehensive surveying and monitoring plan for
special status species; and prepare a grassland management plan. The
Service would also expand Kern Refuge's hunt area and add nine new
spaced blinds, expand the environmental education and interpretation
programs substantially, construct a new tour route, and build two new
photo blinds. Changes at Pixley Refuge under Alternative C would be
similar to those under Alternative B. In addition, the Service would
substantially expand its surveying, monitoring, and research program
for threatened and endangered species and prepare a grassland
management plan. The Refuge would also seek approval to prepare a land
protection plan that explores options for providing linkages between
Pixley Refuge units and State-owned habitat to the south. Alternative C
would also include developing a 272-acre grain unit to provide foraging
habitat for sandhill cranes, restoring 10 acres of riparian habitat,
and expanding surveys for waterbirds and raptors. Pixley Refuge's
environmental education and interpretation programs would be expanded
and a new pullout and interpretive displays would be developed.
Changes under Alternative D at Kern and Pixley Refuges are similar
to those described under Alternative C, with the following exceptions.
The Service would substantially modify management of moist soil units
at both Refuges to encourage native waterfowl food plants and improve
habitat for shorebirds. In addition, the size of the hunt area at Kern
Refuge would be reduced by about 38 percent and two new tour routes
would be constructed. The Service would also restore more riparian
habitat under Alternative D-30 acres at Kern Refuge and 20 acres at
Pixley Refuge.
Public Comments
After the review and comment period ends for this Draft CCP/EA,
comments will be analyzed by the Service and addressed in the Final
CCP. All comments received from individuals, including names and
addresses, become part of the official public record and may be
released. Requests for such comments will be handled in accordance with
the Freedom of Information Act, the Council on Environmental Quality's
NEPA regulations and other Service and Departmental policies and
procedures.
Dated: June 21, 2004.
David G. Paullin,
Manager, California/Nevada Operations, Sacramento, California.
[FR Doc. 04-14528 Filed 6-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P